Agency News

TEXAS The Richards Group's Latitude affiliate in Dallas created a 30-second TV spot promoting Baylor Health Care System's sports medicine services. The commercial, airing locally, features a voiceover by Mike Renfro, a Richards Group principal. Focusing on a die-hard sports fan enduring and avoiding various game-related abuses, the commercial plugs Baylor's status as official healthcare provider for the Dallas Stars, Mavericks, Sidekicks and Burn as well as the Mesquite Rodeo. The Dallas Ad League and the Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation will host a luncheon on Jan. 8 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Dallas as part of a leadership conference. The lunch session, which begins at 11:30 a.m., is themed "Communicating in the Digital Century" and will feature an address by Mark Cuban, president of broadcast.com. Bill Bosse & Associates, Houston, has been assigned the account of Frank Salon, which opens this month in Houston's Galleria. The agency will handle all television, radio and newspaper ads, plus public relations and collateral assignments. Billings were undisclosed. Montemayor y Asociados, San Antonio, signed broadcast director Mike Cevallos, previously a producer at Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, also San Antonio. Cevallos will oversee all television and radio productions at the agency. The Hart Agency, Dallas, has been contracted on a project basis to develop a public relations program for Witz Training, the Dallas division of professional development firm Witz & Associates. Texas Cancer Care selected Witherspoon & Associates, Fort Worth, as agency of record. The Fort Worth-based cancer treatment physician group provides care via six clinics in North Texas. FootAction USA, Irving, appointed John Lauch to the newly created senior vice president of marketing position. Lauch joins from Blockbuster Entertainment, where he was vice president of corporate development since 1997. He also spent 10 years at Pizza Hut. Bob Bond & Others, Dallas, launched a "Webify or die"-themed print and Internet campaign for OpenConnect Systems. One ad shows an executive writing the message on a chalkboard 100 times as a form of punishment. Richardson-based Freeman Group, a hospitality industry training company, tapped CS Creative and Gnuse/Coker Associates, both Dallas, for its graphic design and public relations chores, respectively. Stuart Bacon, Fort Worth, has been chosen by Wadley Regional Medical Center of Texarkana to implement a multimedia advertising campaign and provide public relations support. Another new client on the shop's roster is The Ranch on Possum Kingdom Lake, a master-planned, gated community. The agency will develop advertising and direct mail programs and front public relations activities for the residential development. Account executive Kyle Rose progressed to senior account executive at Meltzer & Martin Public Relations, Dallas. Among Rose's clients are Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Promus Hotel Corp. DDB Needham Dallas promoted two staff members on its American Airlines business. Account executive Jason Lewison moves up to account supervisor and account supervisor Stephanie Bittner becomes account director. Curious Pictures, New York and San Francisco, and Mosca Films of Austin collaborated with GSD&M, also Austin, on the new 30-second "Rodeo" spot for the Texas Lottery. The commercial features a multi-layered arena with cut-out live action footage of a crowd of spectators and a cowboy on a bronco. A hand enters the scene and scratches off part of the crowd with a quarter as a voiceover notes, "There are over 500,000 scratch-off winners everyday. Get scratchin'." Artworks, Killeen, welcomed John Ciaburri as art director from CompUSA, where he was a corporate graphic designer. The company also promoted Clifford Fudge to production manager and Suzanne Bundschuh to assistant media buyer and special projects coordinator. Ogilvy & Mather was honored as Houston's Outstanding Media Partner during the 1998 Spirit of Giving Awards. Sponsored by the National Society of Fund- Raising Executives, the award recognizes O&M's work for Child Advocates, a nonprofit agency that recruits and trains volunteers to speak up for the rights of abused children. Nalco/Exxon Energy Chemicals selected Robert Lamons & Associates, Houston, as its new agency. Nalco/Exxon, Sugar Land, is a joint venture limited partnership formed in 1994 to market the specialty products of Nalco Chemical Co. and Exxon Energy Chemicals. Flowers & Fedele, Dallas, is offering clients and area residents a free restaurant guide that spells out the shop's dining recommendations in the Big D. Agency partner and executive creative director Anthony Fedele said the guide is being used partly as a new business tool. Candace Clifford was tapped as senior designer at Shelton Communications Group, Dallas. Clifford formerly was art director at Harcourt, Brace & Co. Director Scott Burress of Aries Productions, Arlington, shot a series of holiday-oriented commercials for furniture retailer The Room Store. Aries also teamed with Saunders-Ream, Dallas, on retail spots for Lorch Jewelry Centers in Alabama. ARKANSAS Taylor Mack Advertising, Fayetteville, enlisted Kelly Pummill as senior account manager. Her duties will include strategic planning and new business development. Pummill arrives from Blackwood Martin, CJRW, Fayetteville, where she worked on the Tyson Foods account. LOUISIANA The Advertising Club of New Orleans' Northshore group will hold its first luncheon meeting of the new year on Jan. 14 at the Dakota Restaurant. The gathering will feature a videotape of the American Advertising Awards broadcast and print finalists. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. Cost: $20, members; $25, nonmembers. For details, call (504) 893-7631. NEW MEXICO Rick Johnson & Co., Albuquerque, added Sherri Trujillo as account executive. Previously, Trujillo was at KOAT-TV as creative services director.

TEXAS The Richards Group's Latitude affiliate in Dallas created a 30-second TV spot promoting Baylor Health Care System's sports medicine services. The commercial, airing locally, features a voiceover by Mike Renfro, a Richards Group principal. Focusing on a die-hard sports fan enduring and avoiding various game-related abuses, the commercial plugs Baylor's status as official healthcare provider for the Dallas Stars, Mavericks, Sidekicks and Burn as well as the Mesquite Rodeo. The Dallas Ad League and the Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation will host a luncheon on Jan. 8 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Dallas as part of a leadership conference. The lunch session, which begins at 11:30 a.m., is themed "Communicating in the Digital Century" and will feature an address by Mark Cuban, president of broadcast.com. Bill Bosse & Associates, Houston, has been assigned the account of Frank Salon, which opens this month in Houston's Galleria. The agency will handle all television, radio and newspaper ads, plus public relations and collateral assignments. Billings were undisclosed. Montemayor y Asociados, San Antonio, signed broadcast director Mike Cevallos, previously a producer at Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, also San Antonio. Cevallos will oversee all television and radio productions at the agency. The Hart Agency, Dallas, has been contracted on a project basis to develop a public relations program for Witz Training, the Dallas division of professional development firm Witz & Associates. Texas Cancer Care selected Witherspoon & Associates, Fort Worth, as agency of record. The Fort Worth-based cancer treatment physician group provides care via six clinics in North Texas. FootAction USA, Irving, appointed John Lauch to the newly created senior vice president of marketing position. Lauch joins from Blockbuster Entertainment, where he was vice president of corporate development since 1997. He also spent 10 years at Pizza Hut. Bob Bond & Others, Dallas, launched a "Webify or die"-themed print and Internet campaign for OpenConnect Systems. One ad shows an executive writing the message on a chalkboard 100 times as a form of punishment. Richardson-based Freeman Group, a hospitality industry training company, tapped CS Creative and Gnuse/Coker Associates, both Dallas, for its graphic design and public relations chores, respectively. Stuart Bacon, Fort Worth, has been chosen by Wadley Regional Medical Center of Texarkana to implement a multimedia advertising campaign and provide public relations support. Another new client on the shop's roster is The Ranch on Possum Kingdom Lake, a master-planned, gated community. The agency will develop advertising and direct mail programs and front public relations activities for the residential development. Account executive Kyle Rose progressed to senior account executive at Meltzer & Martin Public Relations, Dallas. Among Rose's clients are Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Promus Hotel Corp. DDB Needham Dallas promoted two staff members on its American Airlines business. Account executive Jason Lewison moves up to account supervisor and account supervisor Stephanie Bittner becomes account director. Curious Pictures, New York and San Francisco, and Mosca Films of Austin collaborated with GSD&M, also Austin, on the new 30-second "Rodeo" spot for the Texas Lottery. The commercial features a multi-layered arena with cut-out live action footage of a crowd of spectators and a cowboy on a bronco. A hand enters the scene and scratches off part of the crowd with a quarter as a voiceover notes, "There are over 500,000 scratch-off winners everyday. Get scratchin'." Artworks, Killeen, welcomed John Ciaburri as art director from CompUSA, where he was a corporate graphic designer. The company also promoted Clifford Fudge to production manager and Suzanne Bundschuh to assistant media buyer and special projects coordinator. Ogilvy & Mather was honored as Houston's Outstanding Media Partner during the 1998 Spirit of Giving Awards. Sponsored by the National Society of Fund- Raising Executives, the award recognizes O&M's work for Child Advocates, a nonprofit agency that recruits and trains volunteers to speak up for the rights of abused children. Nalco/Exxon Energy Chemicals selected Robert Lamons & Associates, Houston, as its new agency. Nalco/Exxon, Sugar Land, is a joint venture limited partnership formed in 1994 to market the specialty products of Nalco Chemical Co. and Exxon Energy Chemicals. Flowers & Fedele, Dallas, is offering clients and area residents a free restaurant guide that spells out the shop's dining recommendations in the Big D. Agency partner and executive creative director Anthony Fedele said the guide is being used partly as a new business tool. Candace Clifford was tapped as senior designer at Shelton Communications Group, Dallas. Clifford formerly was art director at Harcourt, Brace & Co. Director Scott Burress of Aries Productions, Arlington, shot a series of holiday-oriented commercials for furniture retailer The Room Store. Aries also teamed with Saunders-Ream, Dallas, on retail spots for Lorch Jewelry Centers in Alabama. ARKANSAS Taylor Mack Advertising, Fayetteville, enlisted Kelly Pummill as senior account manager. Her duties will include strategic planning and new business development. Pummill arrives from Blackwood Martin, CJRW, Fayetteville, where she worked on the Tyson Foods account. LOUISIANA The Advertising Club of New Orleans' Northshore group will hold its first luncheon meeting of the new year on Jan. 14 at the Dakota Restaurant. The gathering will feature a videotape of the American Advertising Awards broadcast and print finalists. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. Cost: $20, members; $25, nonmembers. For details, call (504) 893-7631. NEW MEXICO Rick Johnson & Co., Albuquerque, added Sherri Trujillo as account executive. Previously, Trujillo was at KOAT-TV as creative services director.